Is 'Bones' trying to kill another squintern in 'Big in the Philippines'?

"Bones" should know that it's still too soon to kill off another squintern.

After all, is anybody over the shocking death of Vincent Nigel-Murray a few seasons back? The answer is no. One therefore has to question why "Bones" has decided to threaten Wendell Bray with a potentially terminal case of Ewing's sarcoma in "Big in the Philippines."

It's not right.

Granted, there's no indication that Wendell is actually doomed yet. This is more likely just one of those "put a beloved character through trauma so that the audience will love him more" things. You know, like they used to do to Willow on a monthly basis back on
"Buffy the Vampire Slayer."

That's got to be it. Unless someone has gone and cast
Michael Grant Terry in a major pilot. And there should be news of that if it were true. Thus, we go with trials. Let's just hope that "Bones" doesn't make the adorable, sexy and strapping Wendell into a sickly patient at whose bedside everyone will congregate.

Just let the kid keep playing hockey and acting tough. Also, keep him alive. Is that too much to ask?

Actually, it just may be, considering the run of sad "Bones" episodes audiences have faced this season. What happened to fun "Bones," anyway? Or just plain weird "Bones"? There have always been sad episodes, of course, but they used to be nicely spaced between some silliness.

This season, however, has spent a lot of time trying to make us cry. Occasionally it was a good cry -- like at the Booth-Brennan wedding -- and sometimes it involved tears of fear or frustration -- Christopher Pelant, anyone? -- but the crying has happened too much.

It's really time for a laugh on "Bones."

But this week is not yet the time. "Big in the Philippines" instead tells the tale of a struggling country singer named Colin Haynes (
Charlie Worsham) who got himself killed right after it turned out he was the biggest thing in music over in the Philippines. Unfortunately for the victim, death came right before he got to enjoy success.

The killer is the bartender at the club where Colin once played, a man who was sleeping with the woman the country singer loved. Because of this Colin ends up stabbed and then mutilated with a shovel when the murderer got his knife blade caught on a rib.

At least his music will live on ... in the Philippines. We can only hope Wendell will continue to do the same ... right here on "Bones" where he belongs.